On Friday, stock buyers were "scooping up the previously
languishing shares" of John Labatt Ltd. and Molson Cos. on the
Toronto Stock Exchange. Both stocks have been trading near 52-
week lows recently, so analysts "believe investors might be
buying up the depressed stock and betting on improved future
earnings by the companies." Some analysts also said the
potential for a solution to the NHL lockout "might also" have
been a factor. Labatt owns Canada's cable sports channel, TSN,
which carries NHL games (Stephen Northfield, Montreal GAZETTE,
1/7). Labatt is holding a taste test in Canadian provinces for
its new Labatt Copper beer. Consumers will taste Labatt X & Y
and vote their preference. The winner will be announced during
the Super Bowl (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 1/6).
HERE COME THE CLYDESDALES: Anheuser-Busch announced that
Budweiser sold more than one million U.S. barrels in Canada last
year, the first time any U.S. brand has hit the one million mark.
With more than 6% of the Canadian market, Budweiser is the 3rd-
largest selling beer in Canada, behind Labatt Blue and Molson
Canadian (TORONTO STAR, 1/7).

In this morning's WALL STREET JOURNAL, Larry Greenberg's
"small stock focus" report examiens the progress of Canlan
Investment, a company that has been acquiring many ice rinks
across Canada in the past two years. To date, the company owns
23 ice rinks. The company hopes to expand its U.S. holdings in
markets such as Wichita and Ft. Worth, capitalizing on the
sport's rising U.S. popularity. Modern ice arenas offer more
than just a place to skate. At its Canadian arenas, Canlan
organizes hockey leagues, referees games, sells equipment and
provides restaurant and lounge facilities. The company expects
to offer more skating lessons at its rinks in the U.S. (WALL
STREET JOURNAL, 1/9).

Coca-Cola, the "longest running major advertiser in
baseball, will return next season" in national and local ads
despite the sports' labor problems. Coca-Cola Media Director
Chuck Fruit: "Our research has always told us that our consumers
love baseball. And we've been around the game since the turn of
the century." Baseball's summer season is perfect for the
companies soft-drink sales, as the company advertises on TV and
radio coverage, but also has plenty of stadium signage (Jack
Craig, BOSTON GLOBE, 1/8).

FootAction USA is "taking a page from rival Foot Locker,
weighing into event marketing" with a rights/media/ merchandising
deal with the AVP. FootAction is "ironing out an estimated" $1M-
plus deal with the AVP, and broadcast partner NBC, that would
give the footwear chain an on-site retail presence at all AVP pro
beach volleyball events. FootAction will promote the AVP's event
in tour-stop markets, while they will receive Dorna Adtime
signage and one spot per broadcast in NBC's AVP schedule. Foot
Locker late last year struck a similar "cross the board
sponsorship" with Streetball Partners, organizer of the NBA's
"Hoop-it-Up" series in which the chain would get on-site retail
space (Matthew Grimm, BRANDWEEK, 1/9 issue).

Sources say the NHL has imposed a one-year moratorium on new
logos and uniform changes, meaning the Bruins might not be able
to use their new design upon moving into the Shawmut Center for
the '95-96 season. One reason for the move: The lockout has
"left clubs deep in warehouse stock, material that would be
impossible to sell once new logos are introduced" (Kevin Paul
Dupont, BOSTON GLOBE, 1/8)....The Toronto Street Buds --
supported locally by the Maple Leaf hockey club -- was christened
Saturday as the newest member of the NHL/Nike street hockey
program. Toronto is the 14th NHL city to have the program in
place this year (TORONTO STAR, 1/7)....Ocean Spray will launch a
TV campaign based on its sponsorship of Dennis Conner's "Stars &
Stripes" boat set to compete in the first America's Cup '95 yacht
race in San Diego (BRANDWEEK, 1/9)....AP profiles the Hispanic ad
agency Ornelas & Associates, whose founder, Victor Ornelas,
expects Hispanic-targeted advertising to grow heavily in the next
10-15 years (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 1/8)....The drop in the Mexican
peso's value has Nike Inc. considering expanding in Mexico to
make athletic shoes the company now produces in Asia. So far,
Adidas is the only big foreign athletic-shoe manufacturer in
Mexico (AP/N.Y. TIMES, 1/9).

The AHL announced Friday that Mastercard has been named
title sponsor of the Mastercard Hockey Hall of Fame AHL All-Star
Dinner and Mastercard Hockey Hall of Fame Exhibit. The dinner
will be held on January 16 in Providence, RI in conjunction with
the '95 Dodge AHL All-Star Game (AHL).

A new Starter ad campaign that breaks this week on NFL
playoff broadcasts emphasizes the "traditional values of
teamwork, sportsmanship and brotherhood." A 30-second spot,
titled "Unity," features past Starter spokesperson Karl Malone,
Mark Messier and Emmitt Smith, plus new Starter endorser Jeff
Bagwell. The spot will continue through the NFL playoffs and
Super Bowl and it will also be seen on TNT's NBA games, ESPN's
NHL games and CBS' NCAA basketball tournament games. An NBA-
themed spot is in production and a football spot will break this
fall. An accompanying print campaign in SPORTS ILLUSTRATED opens
later this month (Terry Lefton, BRANDWEEK, 1/9 issue).
OTHER STARTER NEWS: The company will debut a Disney apparel
line at the Super Show next month....Starter will also launch a
clothing line called the Emmitt Zone with Cowboy Emmitt Smith.
It will be the first Starter line based on an individual.
Sources say they have talked to J.C. Penney about becoming a
retail partner for the new line (BRANDWEEK, 1/9 issue).

With less than three weeks to go until Super Bowl Sunday,
advertisers "are scrambling to snap up the last two national ad
spots for the game." The price tag is $1M for each 30-second
spot. Only a few past advertisers opted out this year because of
the cost: Reebok, Visa and 7-UP. Returning advertisers include:
Pepsi, Frito-Lay, MasterLock, Chrysler, Isuzu, McDonald's and
Goodyear. Some newcomers: Ford, Warner Bros., No Fear
sportswear, Lee Jeans, Soloflex, Principal Financial Group,
American Home Products, HBO and the National Pork Producers
Council (Dottie Enrico, USA TODAY, 1/9).